My Brothers All: Our February 24th Stated meeting is an open meeting featuring the annual Ring Ceremony, Knighting Ceremony, Double Eagle Awards and Worshipful Master Honor Night recognizing Worshipful Master’s from the 13th, 15th,16th and 17th Districts. Family and Friends are encouraged to attend. Dinner will be served at 6:30pm, with the open meeting to follow at 7:30pm.

The spring reunion is fast approaching, and is scheduled on the weekend of April 22nd and 23rd. It is not too early to start following up with Master Masons who have expressed an interest in joining the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (A.A.S.R.). The Valley of Orlando will confer those degrees that we have associated with the spring reunion.

In each eNews article, you are encouraged to read the bi-monthly Scottish Rite Journal, and hopefully enjoy the excellent articles and information contained therein. Also, to continue growing and learning about Freemasonry, the Short Talk Bulletin (STB) offers short stories about many varied topics. Each Masonic Lodge should receive a copy of the STB each month. Please obtain a copy and take 10 minutes to read and reflect.

As a reminder, our Master Craftsman study group started up again in January 2023. A second group has also started. If you are interested in participating in one of these online study groups, please contact Ill Keith at the Valley office via 407-657-4550 or via eMail at GenSecOrl@gmail.com to ensure you are added to the mailing list and receive all invitations to participate via ZOOM. Keep in mind that participating in a study group enhances the Master Craftsman experience for everyone and starts the building of fraternal friendships between those brothers who participate.

At the start of the 2022 year we added in the eNews, a section titled “Notable Brothers of The Scottish Rite!” Each month this section provides an article on a notable Brother Mason aligned with the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. We will continue this addition to our eNews – Thanks Brother Den!

I have been asked to include in my article, the up and coming KCCH Spring Social, which will be on Sunday the 30th of April at 5pm at The Dixie Crossroads Restaurant in Titusville. Please RSVP directly to Brother Chris Durie.

The next item that warrants your attention is our up and coming Second Annual Golf Event on Friday the 26th of May 2023 with a shotgun start at 8:30 AM. It is named a golf event because it is not necessary that you play par golf, but rather enjoy golf simply to experience some fraternal fellowship. It is not limited to just Masons, so please ask your friends, and work associates who play golf to come and have some fun and fellowship. Please note that the proceeds from this Golf Event support the Scottish Rite Foundation of Florida, Inc. which is a 501(c)(3). This Foundation funds a network of fifteen Language and Speech Clinics for children in the State of Florida. There are sponsorship opportunities, and now is the time to “step-up and sign-up!” All information on this event can be found online at GolfScottishRite.com. Please sign up to play, and consider a sponsorship by your Lodge, a friend or associate who has a business. It would sure be nice to have a foursome from each of the 37 Lodges in the four District area that is served by the Valley of Orlando.

Until next time, remember the many things for which you are thankful!  Be safe in your travels; “whisper wise counsel in the ear of an erring brother;” and respect the dignity of all, as it makes you and our fraternity stronger one action at a time.  We want to ensure that what we are enjoying today will be available for those who follow. Simply stated – “We lead the way today, so those who follow us can lead the way tomorrow!”  Thanks for your continued support and participation, and may the “Spirit of Fraternity” reign supreme within our “Valley of Orlando!”

May you and yours be blessed with health, happiness, and prosperity in 2023, and may we all stay COVID free.

Fraternally,

Ill Chester A. “Chet” King, 33°
Personal Representative

“People forget what you say, and forget what you do, but forever remember how you make them feel!”